By Marilyn Odendahl
The Indiana Citizen
February 10, 2026
During the Indiana Senate’s session on Monday, the newest member of the legislative chamber took the oath of office.
Nick McKinley, R-Marion, was sworn in by Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush and will serve the remainder of Sen. Andy Zay’s term, representing Senate District 17, which includes Grant, Huntington and Wabash counties. Zay resigned his position on Jan. 8, following his appointment by Gov. Mike Braun to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.
“I am grateful to be able to step into this role and begin serving our district at the Statehouse,” McKinley said in a press release. “I am committed to upholding strong, conservative representation in the Senate, and I look forward to doing the job with integrity as I work on legislation that will help move our state forward.”
McKinley won the Republican Party caucus held Saturday morning at LaFontaine Learning Community School in Lafontaine, Indiana. He captured 85 votes and defeated Michael Hensley, current president of the school board for Manchester Community Schools, who received 24 votes.
Zay had held the Senate District 17 seat since 2016.
In the May primary, McKinley will, again, face Hensley along with Chris Parker for the Republican nomination for the full four-year term. The winner of that contest will run in the November election against Democrat Cynthia Wehr.
A lifelong resident of northern Indiana, McKinley has served as an at-large city councilman for the city of Marion since 2024 and was elected chair of the Grant County Republican Party in March 2025. He holds two degrees from Bethel University in Mishawaka.
Prior to attending college, McKinley worked more than six years as an officer in the South Bend Police Department. He and his family settled in Marion more than a decade ago where he opened his own insurance agency, which he still owns.
In addition to his public service, McKinley serves as the football stadium announcer for Indiana Wesleyan University and the public address announcer for Marion High School football and boys basketball.
Dwight Adams, an editor and writer based in Indianapolis, edited this article. He is a former content editor, copy editor and digital producer at The Indianapolis Star and IndyStar.com, and worked as a planner for other newspapers, including the Louisville Courier Journal.
The Indiana Citizen is a nonpartisan, nonprofit platform dedicated to increasing the number of informed and engaged Hoosier citizens. We are operated by the Indiana Citizen Education Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity. For questions about the story, contact Marilyn Odendahl at marilyn.odendahl@indianacitizen.org
